Interview with Amy Stammers – Founder of The Teapot
As one half of a neuro-diverse relationship Amy has first-hand experience of the challenges this can bring and so, having realised that she herself needed support, she established The Teapot, “a safe space for neuro typical women to come and refill their cup. To support each other, offer self-care tips and share positive stories of living with a partner with Asperger’s Syndrome”.
Describe your business – what do you do?
I am a Mindset & Self-Care Coach, working predominantly with women whose partners have Asperger’s Syndrome.
What gave you the idea to start up your business?
About a year after my husband received a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (or High Functioning Autism as it’s now termed), I felt the need to find some other women in the UK who were on a similar journey with their partner. There are lots of online forums and Facebook groups out there, but none specific to the UK and many are not very positive places. I set about creating a Facebook group for women in the UK to help them to focus on growing and improving themselves rather than focusing on their relationship. The whole ethos stemmed from a quote I found: “It is not selfish to refill your own cup, so that you can pour into others. It is not a luxury. It is essential.” As the group grew, it became apparent that many of the women in the group lacked direction, self-confidence and self-worth having spent so many years in an emotionally draining relationship. Drawing upon my teaching skills, pastoral skills and tools and techniques I had learnt as a hypnobirthing instructor, I decided that I would offer Life Coaching to the women in The Teapot to enable them to refill their cup.
Which aspects of your business did you need help with? Where did you get that help?
I had already attempted to run my own business (a franchise) a few years ago but didn’t get over the first hurdle. I then trained to by a hypnobirthing instructor, thinking that I knew what I was doing, but with that venture I didn’t even get off the starting blocks! With The Teapot, I knew I had to get some business skills under my belt at the start. I signed up to a course for small business owners which taught me lots about setting up a business and marketing etc. I also watched carefully as some of my fellow hypnobirthing instructors moved on to coaching and how they were doing things. I watched lots of webinars and took part in lots of Facebook 5-day challenges, including a couple by Ruth Kudzi. It was off the back of one of Ruth’s challenges that I got a place on her Employee to Entrepreneur Group Programme. This course provided the turning point for me – believing that my Facebook group could evolve into a viable business and that I was capable of starting to coach clients.
What is the most rewarding thing about having your own business?
I think the most rewarding thing about having my own business is knowing that I have grown it myself. I have created it all from the name, to the content, to the client list. I have the freedom to express myself how I wish and to be my authentic self. I enjoy my work and every day is different, depending on what’s on my mind, what’s on my clients’ mind and what’s going off in the Facebook group. I manage my own time and can rearrange things so that I can be present for my children when they need me. And if I want a duvet day, then I can do that too!
What has been the biggest challenge?
To be honest the whole thing of setting up my own business has been a challenge, but in a good way. I don’t do anything unless I get a kick up the backside(!) so I suppose the biggest challenge was to stop procrastinating and take action to make things happen. It really helped having the support of Ruth Kudzi as my coach; being held accountable and being championed along.
If you could go back and give yourself some advice what would it be?
If I could go back and give myself some advice, I would tell myself to not look back but to look to the future – look to what I want to achieve and who I want to be.
What are your plans for the future?
I have grand plans for the future! I want to be the “go-to” person for women who are neuro-diverse relationships. I want to be well-known as a national speaker for Autism organisations and the National Autistic Society. I want The Teapot to grow to include regular meet ups and Retreat Days and for hundreds of women to have improved their life having done one of The Teapot’s courses or having had coaching with me. For myself, I want to feel fulfilled, by being happy and successful.
Find out more about The Teapot…
https://refillingyourcup.com/
https://www.instagram.com/refillingyourcup/
https://www.facebook.com/RefillingYourCup/
